1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical wedge connectors and, more particularly, to an improved automatic electrical wedge connector.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
Power connectors, such as splice, reducer, or dead-end connectors are used for connecting power distribution conductors by various users such as electrical contractors, electrical utilities, and municipalities. In order to ease installation, which may have to be accomplished outdoors in very difficult access and weather conditions, possibly on xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d overhead wires, users have employed automatic overhead connectors. In automatic overhead connectors, the wedge holding the power conductor in the connector is spring loaded to urge the wedge automatically into the connector. Conductor tension (due to the conductor weight) and friction between wedge and conductor does the rest thereby wedging the wedge into the connector. In order to further simplify installation, overhead power connectors are sized generally to be used with a number of conductors of varying sizes. For example, one overhead connector may be used for connecting conductors from 0.23 inch diameter up to 0.57 inch diameter. This allows the user to select from, and hence have to carry a smaller number of different sizes of connectors at the job site. The structure of a given overhead power connector is capable of supporting the maximum connection loads (such as for example prying loads from the wedge against the connector shell) when connecting the largest size conductor which may be used with the connector. The connector structure is thus sized accordingly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,2336 discloses on example of a conventional cable connector which has a body supporting opposing jaws for gripping a cable with wedge action, and a latch plate to retain the jaws in an open position to relieve the cable. Another example of a conventional connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,100 wherein the connector has a main body with a recess that has a gripping jaw slideably supported therein. The jaw is held in an open position by release pins. Still another example of a conventional connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,961 wherein a spring loaded wedge dead end with jaws spring loaded to a closed position that may be locked open by tabs on a floater. The present invention overcomes the problems of conventional connectors as will be described greater detail below.
In accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, an electrical wedge connector is provided. The connector comprises a shell, and a wedge. The shell defines a wedge receiving passage therein. The wedge is shaped to wedge against the shell when inserted into the wedge receiving passage. The wedge has a conductor receiving channel therein for receiving and fixedly holding a conductor in the shell, when the wedge is wedged into the shell. The shell has a first portion with a first flexure stiffness generating a first clamping force on the wedge when the wedge is wedged in the first portion of the shell. The wedge has a second portion with a second flexure stiffness generating a second clamping force on the wedge when the wedge is wedged in the second portion of the shell.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, an electrical wedge connector is provided. The connector comprises a frame, and a wedge. The frame has at least one shell section with opposing walls defining a wedge receiving passage in between. The wedge is shaped to wedge against the opposing walls of the shell when the wedge is inserted into the wedge receiving passage. The wedge has a conductor receiving channel therein for receiving and fixedly holding a conductor in the shell when the wedge is wedged into the shell. The opposing walls of the shell have stiffeners depending therefrom. The stiffeners are distributed along at least one of the opposing walls with unequal spacing between adjacent stiffeners.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an electrical wedge connector is provided. The connector comprises a shell, and a wedge. The shell has a wedge receiving passage formed therein. The wedge is adapted to wedge in the wedge receiving passage for capturing a conductor in the shell. The shell has a first end with a rounded outer guide face for guiding the wedge connector into a stringing block pulley when the conductor captured in the shell is pulled over the stringing block pulley.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided. The connector comprises a frame, and a pair of opposing wedge members. The frame has a shell with a wedge receiving channel. The pair of opposing wedge members are located in the wedge receiving channel for clamping a conductor in the shell. At least one wedge member of the pair of opposing wedge members has a stand off projection which contacts and holds an opposing wedge member at a standoff. The standoff projection has two stop surfaces for contacting the opposing wedge member and holding the opposing wedge member at two different standoffs from the at least one wedge member.